[Influence of several immunoenhancers on sleep and their mechanism].

The influence of three immunoenhancers on animal sleep and their mechanism was studied. Isoprinosine, transfer factor and muramyl dipeptide(MDP) could promote animal immune function, and prolong the sleeping time of mice and rabbits. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), an immune cytokine, could prolong animal sleep; MDP could increase the synthesis and secretion of TNF from cultured mice astrocytes by promoting the expression of TNF alpha mRNA, resulting in an increase of TNF level in mice brains; monoclone antibody of TNF could partly antagonize the promoting effect of MDP on rabbits sleep. These results suggest that TNF is an important mediator in the influence of immune system on sleep. TNF could increase the turnover rate of 5-HT in mice brains, which may be one of the mechanisms of TNFs' promoting effect on sleep.